Carnival UK sales and customer service director Giles Hawke is to oversee the Complete Cruise Solution head of sales role until a replacement for Mark Pilkington is found.
Pilkington, who resigned from the umbrella sales arm of P&O Cruises, Cunard and Princess Cruises in January, starts with Disneyland Paris as UK head of commercial on Monday, March 19, having worked his notice period.
Hawke is “caretaking” the head of sales position until a successor for Pilkington is found.
He said he hoped to get the Southampton-based position filled by the end of the summer.
“We are casting the net wide. It’s about the skills set, attitude and ability to work with a large team and with travel agents to drive sales,” said Hawke, who added that the right candidate would not necessarily need to have a background in the cruise sector.
Almost 50 staff report to the head of sales but Hawke said no replacement was being made for CCS senior sales manager Iain Baillie, who left earlier in the year to become UK head of sales for US sister company Carnival Cruise Lines.